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WO2023110859A1 - Packaging assembly for forming and sealing a plurality of packs containing a pourable product - Google Patents

Packaging assembly for forming and sealing a plurality of packs containing a pourable product Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO2023110859A1
WO2023110859A1 PCT/EP2022/085604 EP2022085604W WO2023110859A1 WO 2023110859 A1 WO2023110859 A1 WO 2023110859A1 EP 2022085604 W EP2022085604 W EP 2022085604W WO 2023110859 A1 WO2023110859 A1 WO 2023110859A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
arm
tube
packaging assembly
sealing
sealing member
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/EP2022/085604
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Andrea PIFERI
Marino BERNARDI
Original Assignee
Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A.
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A. filed Critical Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A.
Priority to CN202280068834.9A priority Critical patent/CN118119499A/en
Priority to JP2024533067A priority patent/JP2024546639A/en
Publication of WO2023110859A1 publication Critical patent/WO2023110859A1/en

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
    • B29C66/80—General aspects of machine operations or constructions and parts thereof
    • B29C66/84—Specific machine types or machines suitable for specific applications
    • B29C66/849—Packaging machines
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C65/00—Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor
    • B29C65/02—Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor by heating, with or without pressure
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C65/00—Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor
    • B29C65/74—Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor by welding and severing, or by joining and severing, the severing being performed in the area to be joined, next to the area to be joined, in the joint area or next to the joint area
    • B29C65/745—Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor by welding and severing, or by joining and severing, the severing being performed in the area to be joined, next to the area to be joined, in the joint area or next to the joint area using a single unit having both a severing tool and a welding tool
    • B29C65/7451—Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor by welding and severing, or by joining and severing, the severing being performed in the area to be joined, next to the area to be joined, in the joint area or next to the joint area using a single unit having both a severing tool and a welding tool the severing tool and the welding tool being movable with respect to one-another
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
    • B29C66/004—Preventing sticking together, e.g. of some areas of the parts to be joined
    • B29C66/0046—Preventing sticking together, e.g. of some areas of the parts to be joined by the use of a lubricant, e.g. fluid, powder
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
    • B29C66/01—General aspects dealing with the joint area or with the area to be joined
    • B29C66/05—Particular design of joint configurations
    • B29C66/10—Particular design of joint configurations particular design of the joint cross-sections
    • B29C66/11—Joint cross-sections comprising a single joint-segment, i.e. one of the parts to be joined comprising a single joint-segment in the joint cross-section
    • B29C66/112—Single lapped joints
    • B29C66/1122—Single lap to lap joints, i.e. overlap joints
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
    • B29C66/40—General aspects of joining substantially flat articles, e.g. plates, sheets or web-like materials; Making flat seams in tubular or hollow articles; Joining single elements to substantially flat surfaces
    • B29C66/41—Joining substantially flat articles ; Making flat seams in tubular or hollow articles
    • B29C66/43—Joining a relatively small portion of the surface of said articles
    • B29C66/431—Joining the articles to themselves
    • B29C66/4312—Joining the articles to themselves for making flat seams in tubular or hollow articles, e.g. transversal seams
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
    • B29C66/70—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material
    • B29C66/73—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material characterised by the intensive physical properties of the material of the parts to be joined, by the optical properties of the material of the parts to be joined, by the extensive physical properties of the parts to be joined, by the state of the material of the parts to be joined or by the material of the parts to be joined being a thermoplastic or a thermoset
    • B29C66/739—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material characterised by the intensive physical properties of the material of the parts to be joined, by the optical properties of the material of the parts to be joined, by the extensive physical properties of the parts to be joined, by the state of the material of the parts to be joined or by the material of the parts to be joined being a thermoplastic or a thermoset characterised by the material of the parts to be joined being a thermoplastic or a thermoset
    • B29C66/7392—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material characterised by the intensive physical properties of the material of the parts to be joined, by the optical properties of the material of the parts to be joined, by the extensive physical properties of the parts to be joined, by the state of the material of the parts to be joined or by the material of the parts to be joined being a thermoplastic or a thermoset characterised by the material of the parts to be joined being a thermoplastic or a thermoset characterised by the material of at least one of the parts being a thermoplastic
    • B29C66/73921—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material characterised by the intensive physical properties of the material of the parts to be joined, by the optical properties of the material of the parts to be joined, by the extensive physical properties of the parts to be joined, by the state of the material of the parts to be joined or by the material of the parts to be joined being a thermoplastic or a thermoset characterised by the material of the parts to be joined being a thermoplastic or a thermoset characterised by the material of at least one of the parts being a thermoplastic characterised by the materials of both parts being thermoplastics
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
    • B29C66/80—General aspects of machine operations or constructions and parts thereof
    • B29C66/81—General aspects of the pressing elements, i.e. the elements applying pressure on the parts to be joined in the area to be joined, e.g. the welding jaws or clamps
    • B29C66/818—General aspects of the pressing elements, i.e. the elements applying pressure on the parts to be joined in the area to be joined, e.g. the welding jaws or clamps characterised by the cooling constructional aspects, or by the thermal or electrical insulating or conducting constructional aspects of the welding jaws or of the clamps ; comprising means for compensating for the thermal expansion of the welding jaws or of the clamps
    • B29C66/8181—General aspects of the pressing elements, i.e. the elements applying pressure on the parts to be joined in the area to be joined, e.g. the welding jaws or clamps characterised by the cooling constructional aspects, or by the thermal or electrical insulating or conducting constructional aspects of the welding jaws or of the clamps ; comprising means for compensating for the thermal expansion of the welding jaws or of the clamps characterised by the cooling constructional aspects
    • B29C66/81811—General aspects of the pressing elements, i.e. the elements applying pressure on the parts to be joined in the area to be joined, e.g. the welding jaws or clamps characterised by the cooling constructional aspects, or by the thermal or electrical insulating or conducting constructional aspects of the welding jaws or of the clamps ; comprising means for compensating for the thermal expansion of the welding jaws or of the clamps characterised by the cooling constructional aspects of the welding jaws
    • B29C66/81812—General aspects of the pressing elements, i.e. the elements applying pressure on the parts to be joined in the area to be joined, e.g. the welding jaws or clamps characterised by the cooling constructional aspects, or by the thermal or electrical insulating or conducting constructional aspects of the welding jaws or of the clamps ; comprising means for compensating for the thermal expansion of the welding jaws or of the clamps characterised by the cooling constructional aspects of the welding jaws the welding jaws being cooled from the outside, e.g. by blowing a gas or spraying a liquid
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
    • B29C66/80—General aspects of machine operations or constructions and parts thereof
    • B29C66/83—General aspects of machine operations or constructions and parts thereof characterised by the movement of the joining or pressing tools
    • B29C66/834—General aspects of machine operations or constructions and parts thereof characterised by the movement of the joining or pressing tools moving with the parts to be joined
    • B29C66/8351—Jaws mounted on rollers, cylinders, drums, bands, belts or chains; Flying jaws
    • B29C66/83541—Jaws mounted on rollers, cylinders, drums, bands, belts or chains; Flying jaws flying jaws, e.g. jaws mounted on crank mechanisms or following a hand over hand movement
    • B29C66/83543—Jaws mounted on rollers, cylinders, drums, bands, belts or chains; Flying jaws flying jaws, e.g. jaws mounted on crank mechanisms or following a hand over hand movement cooperating flying jaws
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B51/00—Devices for, or methods of, sealing or securing package folds or closures; Devices for gathering or twisting wrappers, or necks of bags
    • B65B51/10—Applying or generating heat or pressure or combinations thereof
    • B65B51/26—Devices specially adapted for producing transverse or longitudinal seams in webs or tubes
    • B65B51/30—Devices, e.g. jaws, for applying pressure and heat, e.g. for subdividing filled tubes
    • B65B51/306—Counter-rotating devices
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B9/00—Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, e.g. liquids or semiliquids, in flat, folded, or tubular webs of flexible sheet material; Subdividing filled flexible tubes to form packages
    • B65B9/10—Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, in preformed tubular webs, or in webs formed into tubes around filling nozzles, e.g. extruded tubular webs
    • B65B9/20—Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, in preformed tubular webs, or in webs formed into tubes around filling nozzles, e.g. extruded tubular webs the webs being formed into tubes in situ around the filling nozzles
    • B65B9/2049—Package shaping devices acting on filled tubes prior to sealing the filling opening
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C65/00—Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor
    • B29C65/02—Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor by heating, with or without pressure
    • B29C65/34—Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor by heating, with or without pressure using heated elements which remain in the joint, e.g. "verlorenes Schweisselement"
    • B29C65/36—Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor by heating, with or without pressure using heated elements which remain in the joint, e.g. "verlorenes Schweisselement" heated by induction
    • B29C65/3604—Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor by heating, with or without pressure using heated elements which remain in the joint, e.g. "verlorenes Schweisselement" heated by induction characterised by the type of elements heated by induction which remain in the joint
    • B29C65/3656—Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor by heating, with or without pressure using heated elements which remain in the joint, e.g. "verlorenes Schweisselement" heated by induction characterised by the type of elements heated by induction which remain in the joint being a layer of a multilayer part to be joined, e.g. for joining plastic-metal laminates
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C65/00—Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor
    • B29C65/02—Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor by heating, with or without pressure
    • B29C65/34—Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor by heating, with or without pressure using heated elements which remain in the joint, e.g. "verlorenes Schweisselement"
    • B29C65/36—Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor by heating, with or without pressure using heated elements which remain in the joint, e.g. "verlorenes Schweisselement" heated by induction
    • B29C65/3672—Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor by heating, with or without pressure using heated elements which remain in the joint, e.g. "verlorenes Schweisselement" heated by induction characterised by the composition of the elements heated by induction which remain in the joint
    • B29C65/3676—Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor by heating, with or without pressure using heated elements which remain in the joint, e.g. "verlorenes Schweisselement" heated by induction characterised by the composition of the elements heated by induction which remain in the joint being metallic
    • B29C65/368—Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor by heating, with or without pressure using heated elements which remain in the joint, e.g. "verlorenes Schweisselement" heated by induction characterised by the composition of the elements heated by induction which remain in the joint being metallic with a polymer coating
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
    • B29C66/40—General aspects of joining substantially flat articles, e.g. plates, sheets or web-like materials; Making flat seams in tubular or hollow articles; Joining single elements to substantially flat surfaces
    • B29C66/41—Joining substantially flat articles ; Making flat seams in tubular or hollow articles
    • B29C66/43—Joining a relatively small portion of the surface of said articles
    • B29C66/432—Joining a relatively small portion of the surface of said articles for making tubular articles or closed loops, e.g. by joining several sheets ; for making hollow articles or hollow preforms
    • B29C66/4322—Joining a relatively small portion of the surface of said articles for making tubular articles or closed loops, e.g. by joining several sheets ; for making hollow articles or hollow preforms by joining a single sheet to itself
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
    • B29C66/70—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material
    • B29C66/71—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material characterised by the composition of the plastics material of the parts to be joined
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
    • B29C66/70—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material
    • B29C66/72—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material characterised by the structure of the material of the parts to be joined
    • B29C66/723—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material characterised by the structure of the material of the parts to be joined being multi-layered
    • B29C66/7232—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material characterised by the structure of the material of the parts to be joined being multi-layered comprising a non-plastics layer
    • B29C66/72327—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material characterised by the structure of the material of the parts to be joined being multi-layered comprising a non-plastics layer consisting of natural products or their composites, not provided for in B29C66/72321 - B29C66/72324
    • B29C66/72328—Paper
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
    • B29C66/70—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material
    • B29C66/72—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material characterised by the structure of the material of the parts to be joined
    • B29C66/723—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material characterised by the structure of the material of the parts to be joined being multi-layered
    • B29C66/7234—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material characterised by the structure of the material of the parts to be joined being multi-layered comprising a barrier layer
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29K—INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR MOULDS, REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS
    • B29K2705/00—Use of metals, their alloys or their compounds, for preformed parts, e.g. for inserts
    • B29K2705/02—Aluminium
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29L—INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES
    • B29L2031/00—Other particular articles
    • B29L2031/712—Containers; Packaging elements or accessories, Packages
    • B29L2031/7162—Boxes, cartons, cases
    • B29L2031/7166—Cartons of the fruit juice or milk type, i.e. containers of polygonal cross sections formed by folding blanks into a tubular body with end-closing or contents-supporting elements, e.g. gable type containers
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B51/00—Devices for, or methods of, sealing or securing package folds or closures; Devices for gathering or twisting wrappers, or necks of bags
    • B65B51/10—Applying or generating heat or pressure or combinations thereof
    • B65B51/22—Applying or generating heat or pressure or combinations thereof by friction or ultrasonic or high-frequency electrical means, i.e. by friction or ultrasonic or induction welding
    • B65B51/227—Applying or generating heat or pressure or combinations thereof by friction or ultrasonic or high-frequency electrical means, i.e. by friction or ultrasonic or induction welding by induction welding

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a packaging assembly for forming and sealing a plurality of packs containing a pourable product, preferably a pourable food product.
  • the present invention relates to a packaging assembly configured to fill, form, seal, cut and fold packages containing the pourable product starting from a tube of packaging material.
  • pourable food products such as fruit juice, UHT (ultra-high temperature-treated) milk, wine, tomato sauce, etc.
  • UHT ultra-high temperature-treated milk
  • wine tomato sauce
  • etc. are sold in packages made of sterilized packaging material.
  • a typical example is the parallelepiped-shaped package for pourable food products known as Tetra Brik Aseptic (registered trademark) , which is made by folding and sealing a laminated web of packaging material.
  • the packaging material has a multilayer structure comprising a base layer, e.g. made of paper, covered on both sides with layers of heat-seal plastic material, e.g. polyethylene .
  • the packaging material also comprises a layer of oxygen-barrier material, e.g. an aluminum foil, which is superimposed on a layer of heatseal plastic material, and is in turn covered with another layer of heat-seal plastic material forming the inner face of the package eventually contacting the food product .
  • a layer of oxygen-barrier material e.g. an aluminum foil
  • Such packages are usually produced in fully automatic packaging assemblies , in which a continuous tube is formed starting from a web of packaging material initially wound in a reel and fed through a plurality of unwinding rollers of such packaging assembly .
  • the web of packaging material is sterili zed in the packaging assembly, e . g . by applying a chemical sterili zing agent , such as hydrogen peroxide solution, which, once sterili zation is completed, is removed from the surfaces of the packaging material , e . g . evaporated by heating .
  • the web so sterili zed is then maintained in a closed, sterile environment , and, advanced by the aforementioned unwinding rollers , is folded and sealed longitudinally to form the tube by means of a known web folding device .
  • the tube is fed continuously along a first direction, normally a straight vertical direction, is filled with the sterili zed food product from above and is formed, sealed and subsequently cut along equally spaced transversal cross-sections extending along a second direction, normally a direction orthogonal to the first direction .
  • So-called pillow packs are obtained thereby, which have a longitudinal sealing band, a top transversal sealing band and a bottom transversal sealing band .
  • the pillow packs are then cut at the cross-sections to be separated from one another and directed to a folding device of the packaging assembly for the final folding thereof .
  • the known packaging assemblies comprise a forming device configured to form the tube , so as to imprint an external shape to the tube , such external shape corresponding to the desired shape of the package , and a sealing device configured to seal the tube at equally spaced cross-sections orthogonal to the tube advancement direction .
  • a packaging assembly of the above type is known from WO-A-2007114752 .
  • Such packaging assembly comprises a pair of alternately movable forming and sealing j aws which are controllable with a reciprocating movement in the first direction and in a third direction orthogonal to the first direction and second direction to interact with the tube at successive portions thereof .
  • the aws are guided and driven by driving and guiding rods to which the tube runs parallel .
  • the forming device comprises at least one pair of forming members , typically in the form of shells , arranged at opposite lateral sides of the tube of packaging material , facing one another and cyclically surrounding, in use , successive portions of the tube to sequentially impart or trans fer the predetermined external shape to these portions .
  • the sealing device is arranged operatively downstream of the forming device , along the first direction and with respect to an advancing direction of the tube , and comprises at least one pair of sealing elements , typically in the form of clamps , arranged at opposite lateral sides of the tube of packaging material facing one another and cyclically gripping between them, in use , successive equally spaced transversal cross-sections of the tube to sequentially seal the tube at these transversal cross-sections , thereby forming the pillow packs .
  • the sealing device comprises two sealing elements : a seal ing member carrying heating means and a countersealing member defining an abutment surface for the heating means to abut against .
  • each tube portion gripped between the sealing elements is heat sealed by the heating means , which locally melt , in use , the heat- sealable plastic material in the gripped region .
  • Packaging material in which the layer of barrier material is defined by a sheet of electrically conductive material , e . g . a sheet of aluminum, is normally heat sealed by a well-known induction heat-seal process , in which, when the tube is gripped between the sealing member and the countersealing member, electric current is induced in the sheet of aluminum to locally heat the sheet o f aluminum, thereby locally melting the heat-sealable plastic material .
  • induction heat-seal process in which, when the tube is gripped between the sealing member and the countersealing member, electric current is induced in the sheet of aluminum to locally heat the sheet o f aluminum, thereby locally melting the heat-sealable plastic material .
  • the heating means substantially comprise an inductor, which is carried by the sealing member, is supplied by a high- frequency current generator, and is substantially defined by a coi l comprising one or more inducting bars made of electrically conductive material , extending parallel to the second direction, and which interact with and induce an electric current in the packaging material to heat the packaging material to the required heat-seal temperature .
  • the countersealing member comprises two pressure elements , preferably two pressure pads made of elastomeric material , having respective front contact surfaces defining the above-mentioned abutment surface .
  • a cutting member carried by one of the two sealing elements is activated, thereby interacting with the tube of packaging material to cut the tube along the respective previously created sealing band, and so separating ( cutting) a pillow pack from the bottom end of the tube of packaging material .
  • the cutting member is extracted from a slot arranged between the two pressure pads to engage a recess of the sealing member .
  • the sealing member and the countersealing member are moved away from one another to be ready to grip another subsequent portion of the tube .
  • the heating means of the sealing member locally heat the packaging material . After some cycles and in certain operative conditions , the heating could overcome a certain threshold, thereby causing the sealing member to overheat and inadvertently stick to the external plastic layer of the packaging material .
  • the packaging assemblies comprise a fluid dispensing device for feeding a lubricating and cooling fluid, usually water, to the forming device and to the sealing device .
  • an arc-shaped duct is known to be fixedly arranged around the tube , so as to at least partially surround the tube , in a fixed position upstream of the forming and sealing j aws , and configured for continuously flushing water onto the external surface of the tube .
  • the duct has a plurality of holes through which water is flushed on the tube .
  • the flushed water also laps the forming shells and the sealing member when these latter interact with the tube , thereby determining a certain lubrication and cooling .
  • This obj ect is achieved by a packaging assembly as claimed in claim 1 .
  • Figure 1 is a perspective view, with parts removed for clarity, of a packaging assembly for producing packages filled with pourable product according to the present invention
  • Figure 2 is a larger-scale perspective view, with parts removed for clarity, of a forming and sealing apparatus of the packaging assembly of Figure 1 ;
  • Figure 3 is a larger-scale perspective view, with parts removed for clarity, of a detail of the apparatus of Figure 2 ;
  • Figure 4 is a schematic side view, with parts removed for clarity, of the apparatus of Figure 2 ;
  • Figures 5 and 6 are larger-scale details of a component of the apparatus of Figure 2 , during respective distinct operative conditions .
  • number 1 indicates as a whole a packaging assembly for producing a plurality of sealed packages 2 containing a pourable product , preferably a pourable food product such as pasteuri zed or UHT milk, water, fruit j uice , wine , peas , beans , etc . starting from a tube 3 of packaging material .
  • packaging assembly 1 is configured to form tube 3 starting from a web-like sheet 4 of packaging material, which is unwound off a reel 5 and fed along a forming path.
  • packaging assembly 1 is configured to form and seal a plurality of pillow packs 2a containing the pourable product starting from tube 3 and then to fold pillow packs 2a for obtaining the aforementioned formed, sealed and folded packages 2 containing the pourable product.
  • the packaging material has a multilayer structure (not shown) , and comprises a layer of fibrous material, e.g. paper, covered on both sides with respective layers of heat-seal plastic material, e.g. polyethylene .
  • the packaging material also comprises a layer of gas-and-light barrier material, e.g. aluminum foil or ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH) film, which is superimposed on a layer of heat-seal plastic material, and is in turn covered with another layer of heat-seal plastic material, the latter forming the inner face of package 2 eventually contacting the pourable product.
  • gas-and-light barrier material e.g. aluminum foil or ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH) film
  • sheet 4 of packaging material is sterilized, e.g. by applying a chemical sterilizing agent, such as hydrogen peroxide solution, which, once sterilization is completed, is removed from the surfaces of the packaging material, e.g. evaporated by heating .
  • a chemical sterilizing agent such as hydrogen peroxide solution
  • packaging assembly 1 is configured to perform, sequentially, the following operations : longitudinally folding sheet 4 of packaging material to obtain tube 3 by means of folding means 6 , known per se and not described in detail , and longitudinally sealing tube 3 to form a longitudinal sealing band; filling tube 3 ( from above ) with the pourable product ;
  • packaging assembly 1 comprise an isolation chamber 7 defining an inner environment , in particular an inner sterile environment containing a sterile gas and separated from an outer environment .
  • the operations of longitudinally sealing tube 3 and forming tube 3 are carried out within the isolation chamber 7 .
  • Packaging assembly 1 comprises a forming and sealing apparatus 8 for forming and sealing pillow packs 2a and having a longitudinal axis A along which tube 3 is fed, in use .
  • tube 3 is fed continuously along a first direction Z parallel to axis A, in particular a straight vertical direction .
  • tube 3 While being fed along axis A, tube 3 is filled from above with the pourable product , in a manner known and not described in detail .
  • apparatus 8 comprises at least one pair of forming shells 10 arranged at opposite sides of axis A, i . e . at opposite sides o f tube 3 , facing one another .
  • forming shells 10 are repeatedly movable towards and away from one another to cyclically cooperate with one another for surrounding successive portions of tube 3 , thereby sequentially imparting a predetermined external shape to tube 3 .
  • forming shells 10 are movable towards one another along a second direction X transversal , more in particular orthogonal , to first direction Z and axis A.
  • forming shells 10 are movable in a reciprocate manner along the first direction Z so as to follow the advancement of tube 3 along axis A.
  • apparatus 8 comprises two pairs of forming shells 10 , each pair being movable in the aforementioned reciprocate manner .
  • the speed of each pair of forming shells 10 along first direction Z matches , in use , the advancing speed of tube 3 along axis A, so that the forming shells 10 of each pair can surround the respective portion, cyclically .
  • tube 3 is fed along axis A downwards .
  • forming shells 10 are moved downwards to follow and surround a tube portion .
  • forming shells 10 detach from such tube portion and are moved upwards to follow a subsequent tube portion and repeat the forming operation thereon .
  • the two pairs of forming shells 10 perform the above operation in an alternate manner, so forming successive portions of tube 3 .
  • apparatus 8 comprises at least one sealing device 11 configured to repeatedly seal tube 3 at equally spaced cross-sections thereof orthogonal to the tube advancement direction, i . e . orthogonal to axis A and first direction Z .
  • sealing device 11 has a sealing member 12 and a countersealing member 13 arranged at opposite sides of axis A, in particular at opposite sides of tube 3 , facing one another .
  • sealing member 12 and countersealing member 13 are repeatedly movable towards and away from one another ( Figure 4 ) to cyclically cooperate with one another thereby clamping tube 3 in a j aw-like manner at said cross-sections for sealing tube 3 and defining transversal sealing bands which extend along a third direction Y orthogonal to both first direction Z and second direction X .
  • apparatus 8 comprises two sealing devices 11 , each one of which is integral in motion along axis A ( and first direction Z ) with a respective pair of forming shells 10 .
  • sealing member 12 is integral with one forming shell 10 and preferably arranged below the latter
  • countersealing member 13 is integral with the other forming shell 10 and preferably arranged below the latter .
  • apparatus 8 comprises at least one , in particular two pairs of arms 14 arranged at opposite sides of axis A, in particular arranged at opposite sides of tube 3 , each pair of arms carrying one pair of forming shells 10 and one sealing device 11 .
  • arms 14 are :
  • arms 14 of each pair control and determine the movement of the respective pair of forming shells 10 and the movement of the respective sealing device 11 .
  • arms 14 define alternately movable forming and sealing j aws which are controllable with a reciprocating movement in first direction Z and in second direction X to interact with tube 3 at successive portions thereof .
  • the pair of arms 14 include :
  • First arm 14a and second arm 14b are arranged so as to substantially extend along third direction Y .
  • sealing member 12 and countersealing member 13 are configured to cyclically cooperate with one another in a j aw-like manner for sealing tube 3 by means of the movement of arms 14 .
  • sealing member 12 comprises heating means for locally heating the external layer of heatseal plastic material .
  • each tube portion gripped between sealing member 12 and countersealing member 13 is heat sealed by the heating means , which locally melt , in use , the heat-sealable plastic material in the gripped region .
  • sealing member 12 comprises a known inductor which induces , in use , a current in the barrier layer, in case the barrier layer is made of an electrically conductive material . Due to the induced current , the barrier layer heats up, thereby heating the plastic material locally .
  • sealing member 12 comprises a known sonotrode configured for generating heat by means of ultrasonic vibrations .
  • sealing member 12 comprises an inductor
  • countersealing member 13 comprises elastomeric elements facing sealing member 12 and defining an abutment surface for the latter .
  • sealing member 12 locally heats the plastic material of the external layer . Therefore , there is a need for cooling sealing member 12 .
  • packaging assembly 1 and particularly apparatus 8 , further comprises a dispensing device 15 for feeding a cooling and/or lubricant fluid at least towards sealing member 12 .
  • the fluid is water .
  • the dispensing device 15 is carried by second arm 14b .
  • the dispensing device comprises a noz zle 15 for spraying the fluid towards sealing member 12 .
  • noz zle 15 is fixedly mounted on second arm 14b .
  • noz zle 15 is integral in motion with second arm 14b .
  • noz zle 15 is integral with the movement of second arm 14b towards and away from first arm 14a .
  • noz zle 15 is integral with the reciprocating movement of second arm 14b .
  • noz zle 15 is carried by, preferably fixedly mounted on, second arm 14b for spraying the fluid towards first arm 14a along a direction transversal to axis A.
  • apparatus 8 comprises two dispensing devices , i . e . noz zles 15 , each one associated with one pair of arms 14 .
  • second arm 14b of each pair of arms 14 carries one respective noz zle 15 , for spraying water towards the respective sealing member 12 , which is carried by the relative first arm 14a facing such second arm 14b .
  • the fluid can be fed towards each sealing member 12 in a more precise manner, thereby obtaining a more ef fective locali zed cooling with respect to the case in which water is fed from above by a duct arranged in a fixed position with respect to tube 3 and to sealing members 12 , by which the water laps sealing members 12 only by gravity .
  • noz zle 15 allows for a more ef ficient lubrication of sealing member 12.
  • each nozzle 15 is fluidly connected to a source of cooling and/or lubricating fluid, known per se and not shown, e.g. a water reservoir.
  • a source of cooling and/or lubricating fluid known per se and not shown, e.g. a water reservoir.
  • packaging assembly 1, and particularly apparatus 8 comprises one nozzle 15 for each arm 14, that is, each one of first arm 14a and second arm 14b, for each pair of arms 14, carries one nozzle 15.
  • each one of first arm 14a and second arm 14b comprises:
  • first portion 16 which is configured to face tube 3, or axis A, and to which sealing member 12 or countersealing member 13 is mounted, respectively;
  • each first portion 16 carries one forming shell 10 and one of sealing member 12 and countersealing member 13.
  • first portion 16 of first arm 14a faces first portion 16 of second arm 14b.
  • nozzle 15 is mounted on second portion 17 of second arm 14b, for spraying the fluid towards first portion 16 of first arm 14a without interposition of tube 3.
  • tube 3 does not hinder the flow of fluid towards first portion 16 of first arm 14a, i . e . towards sealing member 12 .
  • noz zle 15 is positioned so that , in use , the sprayed fluid bypasses or avoids tube 3 .
  • noz zle 15 is positioned for directing the fluid towards seal ing member 12 along a fourth direction W inclined with respect to second direction X .
  • fourth direction W is inclined with respect to both second direction X and third direction Y . More in particular, fourth direction W i s also inclined with respect to first direction Z .
  • noz zle 15 can spray the fluid directly towards sealing member 12 without interposition of tube 3 , which is arranged between first portions 16 , relatively to second direction X .
  • noz zle 15 is configured to spray the fluid towards sealing member 12 when sealing member 12 is spaced apart from countersealing member 13 .
  • noz zle 15 is configured to spray the fluid as soon as the sealing operation is completed and sealing member 12 and countersealing member 13 are moved away from one another along second direction X, and while arms 14 start to move upwards along first direction Z .
  • sealing member 12 can be cooled immediately after the end of sealing cycle , thereby avoiding overheating thereof during the next sealing cycle .
  • noz zle 15 is configured to spray the fluid during the j aw-like cooperation between sealing member 12 and countersealing member 13 .
  • no z zle 15 sprays the fluid during the downward movement of arms 14 along first direction Z .
  • sealing member 12 can be cooled during all along the sealing cycle , thereby avoiding overheating thereof during the sealing operation and avoiding a sticking of the inductor or sonotrode to the plastic material .
  • noz zle 15 is configured to spray the fluid in a continuous manner during the sealing operation .
  • noz zle 15 is advantageously configured to nebuli ze the fluid for creating a cloud 18 of nebuli zed fluid (visible in Figures 3 , 4 and in particular in Figures 5 and 6 ) .
  • noz zle 15 is configured to nebuli ze the fluid so that cloud 18 surrounds and laps forming shells 10 .
  • no z zle 15 is configured to produce a plurality of droplets 18a which, during operation, remain in suspension around tube 3 , thereby lapping tube 3 and forming shells 10 . More speci fically, due to the aforementioned reciprocating movement of arms 14 , and due to the movement of arms 14 towards and away from one another, noz zle 15 is configured to create a cloud 18 which occupies an axially elongated region around tube 3 .
  • This configuration is particularly ef fective in case noz zle 15 nebuli zes the fluid in a continuous manner during the operation .
  • forming shells 10 can be ef ficiently and ef fectively lubricated, despite the fact that noz zle 15 sprays the fluid directly towards sealing member 12 .
  • noz zle 15 is made of a metallic material . In this way, the risk of clogging of the noz zle fluid passage due to limestone is reduced .
  • packaging assembly 1 is described hereinafter with reference to a single pair of arms 14 and starting from a condition in which arms 14 are moving downward along first direction Z to match the advancing speed of tube 3 .
  • Sealing member 12 and countersealing member 13 grip tube 3 thereby sealing tube 3 and creating a transversal sealing band along third direction Y .
  • shells 10 surround tube 3 imparting the desired external shape thereon .
  • forming shells 10 are moved away from one another, as well as sealing member 12 and countersealing member 13 .
  • noz zle 15 sprays , in particular nebuli zes , water towards sealing member 12 during the operation .
  • packaging assembly 1 according to the present invention will be clear from the foregoing description .
  • the fluid can be fed towards each sealing member 12 in a more precise manner, thereby obtaining a more ef fective and locali zed cooling with respect to the case in which water is fed from above by a duct .
  • the dispensing device is defined by a noz zle 15 which sprays the water, and does not simply flush it on tube 3 , the Applicant has observed that the fluid (water ) consumption is reduced .
  • the li fespan of forming shells 10 can be also increased, as well as the structural quality of the packaging material , due to the reduced friction .
  • packaging assembly 1 as described herein without , however, departing from the scope of protection as defined in the accompanying claims .

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Thermal Sciences (AREA)
  • Containers And Plastic Fillers For Packaging (AREA)
  • Package Closures (AREA)

Abstract

There is described a packaging assembly (1) for forming and sealing a plurality of packages (2) containing a pourable product starting from a tube (3) of packaging material, the packaging assembly (1) comprises : a longitudinal axis (A) along which the tube (3) is fed, in use; a sealing device (11) for repeatedly sealing the tube (3) at successive cross-sections thereof and having a sealing member (12) and a countersealing member (13) arranged at opposite sides of the longitudinal axis (A); at least a pair of arms (14) arranged at opposite sides of the longitudinal axis (A), movable towards and away from one another along a first direction (X) transversal to the longitudinal axis (A), and including a first arm (14a) carrying the sealing member (12) and a second arm (14b) carrying the count er sealing member (13); the packaging assembly (1) further comprises a dispensing device (15) for feeding a cooling and/or lubricant fluid at least towards the sealing member (12); the dispensing device (15) is carried by the second arm (14b).

Description

PACKAGING ASSEMBLY FOR FORMING AND SEALING A PLURALITY
OF PACKS CONTAINING A POURABLE PRODUCT
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a packaging assembly for forming and sealing a plurality of packs containing a pourable product, preferably a pourable food product.
In particular, the present invention relates to a packaging assembly configured to fill, form, seal, cut and fold packages containing the pourable product starting from a tube of packaging material.
BACKGROUND ART
As it is generally known, many pourable food products, such as fruit juice, UHT (ultra-high temperature-treated) milk, wine, tomato sauce, etc., are sold in packages made of sterilized packaging material.
A typical example is the parallelepiped-shaped package for pourable food products known as Tetra Brik Aseptic (registered trademark) , which is made by folding and sealing a laminated web of packaging material. The packaging material has a multilayer structure comprising a base layer, e.g. made of paper, covered on both sides with layers of heat-seal plastic material, e.g. polyethylene .
In the case of aseptic packages for long-storage products, such as UHT milk, the packaging material also comprises a layer of oxygen-barrier material, e.g. an aluminum foil, which is superimposed on a layer of heatseal plastic material, and is in turn covered with another layer of heat-seal plastic material forming the inner face of the package eventually contacting the food product .
Such packages are usually produced in fully automatic packaging assemblies , in which a continuous tube is formed starting from a web of packaging material initially wound in a reel and fed through a plurality of unwinding rollers of such packaging assembly . The web of packaging material is sterili zed in the packaging assembly, e . g . by applying a chemical sterili zing agent , such as hydrogen peroxide solution, which, once sterili zation is completed, is removed from the surfaces of the packaging material , e . g . evaporated by heating . The web so sterili zed is then maintained in a closed, sterile environment , and, advanced by the aforementioned unwinding rollers , is folded and sealed longitudinally to form the tube by means of a known web folding device .
The tube is fed continuously along a first direction, normally a straight vertical direction, is filled with the sterili zed food product from above and is formed, sealed and subsequently cut along equally spaced transversal cross-sections extending along a second direction, normally a direction orthogonal to the first direction . So-called pillow packs are obtained thereby, which have a longitudinal sealing band, a top transversal sealing band and a bottom transversal sealing band . The pillow packs are then cut at the cross-sections to be separated from one another and directed to a folding device of the packaging assembly for the final folding thereof . In order to perform the forming and sealing operations , the known packaging assemblies comprise a forming device configured to form the tube , so as to imprint an external shape to the tube , such external shape corresponding to the desired shape of the package , and a sealing device configured to seal the tube at equally spaced cross-sections orthogonal to the tube advancement direction .
A packaging assembly of the above type is known from WO-A-2007114752 . Such packaging assembly comprises a pair of alternately movable forming and sealing j aws which are controllable with a reciprocating movement in the first direction and in a third direction orthogonal to the first direction and second direction to interact with the tube at successive portions thereof .
In particular, the aws are guided and driven by driving and guiding rods to which the tube runs parallel .
The forming device comprises at least one pair of forming members , typically in the form of shells , arranged at opposite lateral sides of the tube of packaging material , facing one another and cyclically surrounding, in use , successive portions of the tube to sequentially impart or trans fer the predetermined external shape to these portions .
For each j aw, the sealing device is arranged operatively downstream of the forming device , along the first direction and with respect to an advancing direction of the tube , and comprises at least one pair of sealing elements , typically in the form of clamps , arranged at opposite lateral sides of the tube of packaging material facing one another and cyclically gripping between them, in use , successive equally spaced transversal cross-sections of the tube to sequentially seal the tube at these transversal cross-sections , thereby forming the pillow packs .
In detail , the sealing device comprises two sealing elements : a seal ing member carrying heating means and a countersealing member defining an abutment surface for the heating means to abut against .
In greater detail , each tube portion gripped between the sealing elements is heat sealed by the heating means , which locally melt , in use , the heat- sealable plastic material in the gripped region .
Packaging material in which the layer of barrier material is defined by a sheet of electrically conductive material , e . g . a sheet of aluminum, is normally heat sealed by a well-known induction heat-seal process , in which, when the tube is gripped between the sealing member and the countersealing member, electric current is induced in the sheet of aluminum to locally heat the sheet o f aluminum, thereby locally melting the heat-sealable plastic material .
More speci fically, in this last case , the heating means substantially comprise an inductor, which is carried by the sealing member, is supplied by a high- frequency current generator, and is substantially defined by a coi l comprising one or more inducting bars made of electrically conductive material , extending parallel to the second direction, and which interact with and induce an electric current in the packaging material to heat the packaging material to the required heat-seal temperature .
The countersealing member comprises two pressure elements , preferably two pressure pads made of elastomeric material , having respective front contact surfaces defining the above-mentioned abutment surface .
Once the heat-seal operation is completed, a cutting member carried by one of the two sealing elements , normally the countersealing member, is activated, thereby interacting with the tube of packaging material to cut the tube along the respective previously created sealing band, and so separating ( cutting) a pillow pack from the bottom end of the tube of packaging material . Typically, the cutting member is extracted from a slot arranged between the two pressure pads to engage a recess of the sealing member .
Once the cutting operation is complete , the sealing member and the countersealing member are moved away from one another to be ready to grip another subsequent portion of the tube .
It is known in the field the need for lubricating the forming device . In particular, it is known that the forming shells produce a certain friction while cooperating with the tube , due to their cyclical movement towards and away from the tube .
It is also known in the field the need for cooling the sealing device . In particular, it is known that the heating means of the sealing member locally heat the packaging material . After some cycles and in certain operative conditions , the heating could overcome a certain threshold, thereby causing the sealing member to overheat and inadvertently stick to the external plastic layer of the packaging material .
According to a known solution, the packaging assemblies comprise a fluid dispensing device for feeding a lubricating and cooling fluid, usually water, to the forming device and to the sealing device .
In particular, an arc-shaped duct is known to be fixedly arranged around the tube , so as to at least partially surround the tube , in a fixed position upstream of the forming and sealing j aws , and configured for continuously flushing water onto the external surface of the tube .
In detail , the duct has a plurality of holes through which water is flushed on the tube .
Due to gravity, the flushed water also laps the forming shells and the sealing member when these latter interact with the tube , thereby determining a certain lubrication and cooling .
Although the known packaging assemblies are functionally valid, the Applicant has observed that they are prone to further improvements , in particular as per the reduction of the water consumption, the ef fectiveness of lubrication and cooling, the extension of the li fespan of the components , and the structural improvement of the finished package .
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
It is therefore an obj ect of the present invention to provide a packaging assembly which is designed to meet at least one of the above-mentioned needs in a straightforward and low-cost manner .
This obj ect is achieved by a packaging assembly as claimed in claim 1 .
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
A non-limiting embodiment of the present invention will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings , in which :
Figure 1 is a perspective view, with parts removed for clarity, of a packaging assembly for producing packages filled with pourable product according to the present invention;
Figure 2 is a larger-scale perspective view, with parts removed for clarity, of a forming and sealing apparatus of the packaging assembly of Figure 1 ;
Figure 3 is a larger-scale perspective view, with parts removed for clarity, of a detail of the apparatus of Figure 2 ;
Figure 4 is a schematic side view, with parts removed for clarity, of the apparatus of Figure 2 ; and
Figures 5 and 6 are larger-scale details of a component of the apparatus of Figure 2 , during respective distinct operative conditions .
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
With reference to Figure 1 , number 1 indicates as a whole a packaging assembly for producing a plurality of sealed packages 2 containing a pourable product , preferably a pourable food product such as pasteuri zed or UHT milk, water, fruit j uice , wine , peas , beans , etc . starting from a tube 3 of packaging material . In detail, packaging assembly 1 is configured to form tube 3 starting from a web-like sheet 4 of packaging material, which is unwound off a reel 5 and fed along a forming path.
In greater detail, packaging assembly 1 is configured to form and seal a plurality of pillow packs 2a containing the pourable product starting from tube 3 and then to fold pillow packs 2a for obtaining the aforementioned formed, sealed and folded packages 2 containing the pourable product.
Preferably, the packaging material has a multilayer structure (not shown) , and comprises a layer of fibrous material, e.g. paper, covered on both sides with respective layers of heat-seal plastic material, e.g. polyethylene .
In the case of aseptic packages 2 for long-storage products, such as UHT milk, the packaging material also comprises a layer of gas-and-light barrier material, e.g. aluminum foil or ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH) film, which is superimposed on a layer of heat-seal plastic material, and is in turn covered with another layer of heat-seal plastic material, the latter forming the inner face of package 2 eventually contacting the pourable product.
Conveniently, after being unwound off reel 5 and before being formed into tube 3, sheet 4 of packaging material is sterilized, e.g. by applying a chemical sterilizing agent, such as hydrogen peroxide solution, which, once sterilization is completed, is removed from the surfaces of the packaging material, e.g. evaporated by heating .
Then, packaging assembly 1 is configured to perform, sequentially, the following operations : longitudinally folding sheet 4 of packaging material to obtain tube 3 by means of folding means 6 , known per se and not described in detail , and longitudinally sealing tube 3 to form a longitudinal sealing band; filling tube 3 ( from above ) with the pourable product ;
- forming tube 3 at successive portions thereof to impart ( give ) a predetermined external shape to such portions ;
- transversally sealing tube 3 at equally spaced cross sections , so that pillow packs 2a are obtained; cutting tube 3 at the above-mentioned cross sections to separate pillow packs 2a from one another ; and
- folding pillow packs 2a to obtain fully folded packages 2 .
Conveniently, packaging assembly 1 comprise an isolation chamber 7 defining an inner environment , in particular an inner sterile environment containing a sterile gas and separated from an outer environment . Advantageously, the operations of longitudinally sealing tube 3 and forming tube 3 are carried out within the isolation chamber 7 .
Packaging assembly 1 comprises a forming and sealing apparatus 8 for forming and sealing pillow packs 2a and having a longitudinal axis A along which tube 3 is fed, in use .
That is , in use , tube 3 is fed continuously along a first direction Z parallel to axis A, in particular a straight vertical direction .
While being fed along axis A, tube 3 is filled from above with the pourable product , in a manner known and not described in detail .
In order to perform the operation of forming tube 3 , apparatus 8 comprises at least one pair of forming shells 10 arranged at opposite sides of axis A, i . e . at opposite sides o f tube 3 , facing one another . According to a known manner, and as visible in Figure 2 and schematically shown in Figure 4 , forming shells 10 are repeatedly movable towards and away from one another to cyclically cooperate with one another for surrounding successive portions of tube 3 , thereby sequentially imparting a predetermined external shape to tube 3 .
In particular, forming shells 10 are movable towards one another along a second direction X transversal , more in particular orthogonal , to first direction Z and axis A.
Furthermore , forming shells 10 are movable in a reciprocate manner along the first direction Z so as to follow the advancement of tube 3 along axis A.
Conveniently, apparatus 8 comprises two pairs of forming shells 10 , each pair being movable in the aforementioned reciprocate manner .
More precisely, the speed of each pair of forming shells 10 along first direction Z matches , in use , the advancing speed of tube 3 along axis A, so that the forming shells 10 of each pair can surround the respective portion, cyclically .
In detail , tube 3 is fed along axis A downwards . Hence , forming shells 10 are moved downwards to follow and surround a tube portion .
Then, once the forming is completed, forming shells 10 detach from such tube portion and are moved upwards to follow a subsequent tube portion and repeat the forming operation thereon .
The two pairs of forming shells 10 perform the above operation in an alternate manner, so forming successive portions of tube 3 .
In order to perform the sealing operation, apparatus 8 comprises at least one sealing device 11 configured to repeatedly seal tube 3 at equally spaced cross-sections thereof orthogonal to the tube advancement direction, i . e . orthogonal to axis A and first direction Z .
In detail , as schematically shown in Figures 4 , 5 and 6 , sealing device 11 has a sealing member 12 and a countersealing member 13 arranged at opposite sides of axis A, in particular at opposite sides of tube 3 , facing one another .
According to a known manner, sealing member 12 and countersealing member 13 are repeatedly movable towards and away from one another ( Figure 4 ) to cyclically cooperate with one another thereby clamping tube 3 in a j aw-like manner at said cross-sections for sealing tube 3 and defining transversal sealing bands which extend along a third direction Y orthogonal to both first direction Z and second direction X .
Conveniently, apparatus 8 comprises two sealing devices 11 , each one of which is integral in motion along axis A ( and first direction Z ) with a respective pair of forming shells 10 .
In detail , for each sealing device 11 and for each pair of forming shells 10 , sealing member 12 is integral with one forming shell 10 and preferably arranged below the latter, and countersealing member 13 is integral with the other forming shell 10 and preferably arranged below the latter .
To this end, apparatus 8 comprises at least one , in particular two pairs of arms 14 arranged at opposite sides of axis A, in particular arranged at opposite sides of tube 3 , each pair of arms carrying one pair of forming shells 10 and one sealing device 11 .
For each pair of arms , arms 14 are :
- movable towards and away from one another along a direction transversal to axis A, in particular along second direction X ; and movable in a reciprocate manner along first direction Z , so as to follow the advancement of tube 3 along axis A.
Such kind of reciprocating and cyclical movement of arms 14 , and of forming shells 10 , sealing member 12 and countersealing member 13 is well-known and described, for example , in WO-A-2007114752 .
In this way, arms 14 of each pair control and determine the movement of the respective pair of forming shells 10 and the movement of the respective sealing device 11 .
In practice , arms 14 define alternately movable forming and sealing j aws which are controllable with a reciprocating movement in first direction Z and in second direction X to interact with tube 3 at successive portions thereof .
For the sake of brevity, reference will be made in the following to a single pair of arms 14 carrying one pair of forming shells 10 and one sealing device 11 . However, the functional and structural features of such pair of arms 14 are equally applicable to the other pair of arms 14 of apparatus 8 .
The pair of arms 14 include :
- a first arm 14a carrying seal ing member 12 and one forming shell 10 ; and
- a second arm 14b carrying countersealing member 13 and one forming shell 10 .
First arm 14a and second arm 14b are arranged so as to substantially extend along third direction Y .
In light of the above , sealing member 12 and countersealing member 13 are configured to cyclically cooperate with one another in a j aw-like manner for sealing tube 3 by means of the movement of arms 14 .
Preferably, sealing member 12 comprises heating means for locally heating the external layer of heatseal plastic material .
In detail , each tube portion gripped between sealing member 12 and countersealing member 13 is heat sealed by the heating means , which locally melt , in use , the heat-sealable plastic material in the gripped region .
In one embodiment , sealing member 12 comprises a known inductor which induces , in use , a current in the barrier layer, in case the barrier layer is made of an electrically conductive material . Due to the induced current , the barrier layer heats up, thereby heating the plastic material locally .
In another embodiment , sealing member 12 comprises a known sonotrode configured for generating heat by means of ultrasonic vibrations .
Preferably, in case sealing member 12 comprises an inductor, countersealing member 13 comprises elastomeric elements facing sealing member 12 and defining an abutment surface for the latter .
In light of the above , sealing member 12 locally heats the plastic material of the external layer . Therefore , there is a need for cooling sealing member 12 .
To this end, packaging assembly 1 , and particularly apparatus 8 , further comprises a dispensing device 15 for feeding a cooling and/or lubricant fluid at least towards sealing member 12 .
Preferably, the fluid is water .
The dispensing device 15 is carried by second arm 14b .
In particular, the dispensing device comprises a noz zle 15 for spraying the fluid towards sealing member 12 .
As visible in Figures 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 and 6 , noz zle 15 is fixedly mounted on second arm 14b . In detail , noz zle 15 is integral in motion with second arm 14b .
In light of the above , noz zle 15 is integral with the movement of second arm 14b towards and away from first arm 14a .
Moreover, noz zle 15 is integral with the reciprocating movement of second arm 14b .
Advantageously, noz zle 15 is carried by, preferably fixedly mounted on, second arm 14b for spraying the fluid towards first arm 14a along a direction transversal to axis A.
This configuration is particularly visible in Figure 3 .
In particular, apparatus 8 comprises two dispensing devices , i . e . noz zles 15 , each one associated with one pair of arms 14 .
In particular, second arm 14b of each pair of arms 14 carries one respective noz zle 15 , for spraying water towards the respective sealing member 12 , which is carried by the relative first arm 14a facing such second arm 14b .
Thanks to the above configuration, the fluid can be fed towards each sealing member 12 in a more precise manner, thereby obtaining a more ef fective locali zed cooling with respect to the case in which water is fed from above by a duct arranged in a fixed position with respect to tube 3 and to sealing members 12 , by which the water laps sealing members 12 only by gravity .
In addition, the advantageous configuration of noz zle 15 allows for a more ef ficient lubrication of sealing member 12.
Preferably, each nozzle 15 is fluidly connected to a source of cooling and/or lubricating fluid, known per se and not shown, e.g. a water reservoir.
According to an alternative embodiment not shown, packaging assembly 1, and particularly apparatus 8, comprises one nozzle 15 for each arm 14, that is, each one of first arm 14a and second arm 14b, for each pair of arms 14, carries one nozzle 15.
In this way, the efficiency of the cooling and/or the lubrication of sealing device 11 is further improved .
As visible in Figures 2 and 3, each one of first arm 14a and second arm 14b comprises:
- a first portion 16, which is configured to face tube 3, or axis A, and to which sealing member 12 or countersealing member 13 is mounted, respectively; and
- a second portion 17 adjacent to first portion 16 along a direction parallel to the arm 14 itself, in particular along third direction Y.
In detail, each first portion 16 carries one forming shell 10 and one of sealing member 12 and countersealing member 13.
Accordingly, first portion 16 of first arm 14a faces first portion 16 of second arm 14b.
Advantageously, nozzle 15 is mounted on second portion 17 of second arm 14b, for spraying the fluid towards first portion 16 of first arm 14a without interposition of tube 3. In other words, tube 3 does not hinder the flow of fluid towards first portion 16 of first arm 14a, i . e . towards sealing member 12 .
In practice , noz zle 15 is positioned so that , in use , the sprayed fluid bypasses or avoids tube 3 .
More precisely, noz zle 15 is positioned for directing the fluid towards seal ing member 12 along a fourth direction W inclined with respect to second direction X .
In particular, fourth direction W is inclined with respect to both second direction X and third direction Y . More in particular, fourth direction W i s also inclined with respect to first direction Z .
In this manner, noz zle 15 can spray the fluid directly towards sealing member 12 without interposition of tube 3 , which is arranged between first portions 16 , relatively to second direction X .
Preferably, noz zle 15 is configured to spray the fluid towards sealing member 12 when sealing member 12 is spaced apart from countersealing member 13 .
In particular, noz zle 15 is configured to spray the fluid as soon as the sealing operation is completed and sealing member 12 and countersealing member 13 are moved away from one another along second direction X, and while arms 14 start to move upwards along first direction Z .
In this way, sealing member 12 can be cooled immediately after the end of sealing cycle , thereby avoiding overheating thereof during the next sealing cycle .
Alternatively, noz zle 15 is configured to spray the fluid during the j aw-like cooperation between sealing member 12 and countersealing member 13 .
In this case , no z zle 15 sprays the fluid during the downward movement of arms 14 along first direction Z .
In this way, sealing member 12 can be cooled during all along the sealing cycle , thereby avoiding overheating thereof during the sealing operation and avoiding a sticking of the inductor or sonotrode to the plastic material .
In one embodiment , noz zle 15 is configured to spray the fluid in a continuous manner during the sealing operation .
In this way, overheating of the inductor or sonotrode is even more prevented .
It is further known in the field that forming shells 10 produce a certain friction while cooperating with tube 3 , due to their cyclical movement to and from tube 3 . Therefore , there is a need for lubricating forming shells 10 .
To this end, noz zle 15 according to the invention is advantageously configured to nebuli ze the fluid for creating a cloud 18 of nebuli zed fluid (visible in Figures 3 , 4 and in particular in Figures 5 and 6 ) .
In particular, noz zle 15 is configured to nebuli ze the fluid so that cloud 18 surrounds and laps forming shells 10 .
More precisely, by means of the aforementioned nebuli zation, no z zle 15 is configured to produce a plurality of droplets 18a which, during operation, remain in suspension around tube 3 , thereby lapping tube 3 and forming shells 10 . More speci fically, due to the aforementioned reciprocating movement of arms 14 , and due to the movement of arms 14 towards and away from one another, noz zle 15 is configured to create a cloud 18 which occupies an axially elongated region around tube 3 .
Due to these movements , forming shells 10 , along with sealing member 12 and countersealing member 13 , are constantly immersed in such cloud 18 .
This configuration is particularly ef fective in case noz zle 15 nebuli zes the fluid in a continuous manner during the operation .
Thanks to the above configuration, forming shells 10 can be ef ficiently and ef fectively lubricated, despite the fact that noz zle 15 sprays the fluid directly towards sealing member 12 .
Advantageously, noz zle 15 is made of a metallic material . In this way, the risk of clogging of the noz zle fluid passage due to limestone is reduced .
The operation of packaging assembly 1 is described hereinafter with reference to a single pair of arms 14 and starting from a condition in which arms 14 are moving downward along first direction Z to match the advancing speed of tube 3 .
In this condition, forming shells 10 start to move towards one another, as well as sealing member 12 and countersealing member 13 .
Sealing member 12 and countersealing member 13 grip tube 3 thereby sealing tube 3 and creating a transversal sealing band along third direction Y .
Soon after, forming shells 10 surround tube 3 imparting the desired external shape thereon .
Once forming and sealing is finished, forming shells 10 are moved away from one another, as well as sealing member 12 and countersealing member 13 .
According to the invention, noz zle 15 sprays , in particular nebuli zes , water towards sealing member 12 during the operation .
The operation is repeated identically for the other pair of arms 14 of apparatus 8 .
The advantages of packaging assembly 1 according to the present invention will be clear from the foregoing description .
In particular, thanks to the above configuration, the fluid can be fed towards each sealing member 12 in a more precise manner, thereby obtaining a more ef fective and locali zed cooling with respect to the case in which water is fed from above by a duct .
Moreover, since the dispensing device is defined by a noz zle 15 which sprays the water, and does not simply flush it on tube 3 , the Applicant has observed that the fluid (water ) consumption is reduced .
Incidentally, the above results also in a further improvement in the structural quality of the finished package 2 , since less water determines a decrease in the risk of soaking (by absorption) the paper material of the base layer, thereby reducing unwanted deformations of package 2 .
Finally, thanks to the aforementioned nebuli zation, lubrication of forming shells 10 , and in general of the entire operative zone of apparatus 8 , can be ensured, despite the fact that noz zle 15 sprays the fluid directly towards sealing member 12 .
Hence , the li fespan of forming shells 10 can be also increased, as well as the structural quality of the packaging material , due to the reduced friction .
Clearly, changes may be made to packaging assembly 1 as described herein without , however, departing from the scope of protection as defined in the accompanying claims .

Claims

22 CLAIMS
1.- A packaging assembly (1) for forming and sealing a plurality of packages (2) containing a pourable product starting from a tube (3) of packaging material , the packaging assembly (1) comprising:
- a longitudinal axis (A) along which the tube (3) is fed, in use;
- a sealing device (11) for repeatedly sealing the tube (3) at successive cross-sections thereof and having a sealing member (12) and a countersealing member (13) arranged at opposite sides of the longitudinal axis (A) ;
- at least a pair of arms (14) arranged at opposite sides of the longitudinal axis (A) , movable towards and away from one another along a first direction (X) transversal to the longitudinal axis (A) , and including a first arm (14a) carrying the sealing member (12) and a second arm (14b) carrying the countersealing member (13) ; the sealing member (12) and the countersealing member (13) being configured to cyclically cooperate with one another in a jaw-like manner for sealing the tube ; wherein the packaging assembly (1) further comprises a dispensing device (15) for feeding a cooling and/or lubricant fluid at least towards the sealing member ( 12 ) ; and wherein the dispensing device (15) is carried by the second arm (14b) .
2.- Packaging assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the dispensing device (15) is fixedly mounted on the second arm (14b) .
3.- Packaging assembly as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the dispensing device (15) is integral in motion with the second arm (14b) .
4.- Packaging assembly as claimed in any one of the foregoing claims, wherein the first arm (14a) and the second arm (14b) are further movable in a reciprocate manner along a second direction (Z) parallel to the longitudinal axis (A) ; and wherein the dispensing device (15) is integral with the reciprocating movement.
5.- Packaging assembly as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein the dispensing device comprises a nozzle (15) for spraying the fluid towards the sealing member (12) .
6.- Packaging assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein the nozzle (15) is carried by the second arm (14b) for spraying the fluid towards the first arm (14a) along a direction (W) transversal to the longitudinal axis (A) .
7 Packaging assembly as claimed in claim 6, wherein each one of the first arm (14a) and second arm (14b) comprises:
- a first portion (16) , which is configured to face the tube (3) and to which the sealing member (12) or countersealing member (13) is mounted, respectively; and a second portion (17) adjacent to the first portion (16) along a third direction (Y) parallel to the arm itself and transversal to the first direction (X) ; and wherein the nozzle (15) is mounted on the second portion (17) of the second arm (14b) for spraying the fluid towards the first portion (16) of the first arm (14a) without interposition of the tube (3) , thereby bypassing or avoiding the tube (3) .
8.- Packaging assembly as claimed in claim 7, wherein the sealing member (12) and the countersealing member (13) are movable towards and away from one another along the first direction (X) , the first direction (X) being perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (A) ; and wherein the nozzle (15) is positioned on the second portion (17) for directing the fluid towards the sealing member (12) along a direction (W) inclined with respect to the first direction (X) and the third direction (Y) .
9.- Packaging assembly as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 8, wherein the nozzle (15) is configured to spray the fluid towards the sealing member (12) when the sealing member (12) is spaced from the countersealing member ( 13 ) .
10.- Packaging assembly as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 8, wherein the nozzle (15) is configured to spray the fluid when the sealing member (12) and the countersealing member (13) cooperate with one another in the jaw-like manner.
11.- Packaging assembly as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 8, wherein the nozzle (15) is configured to spray the fluid in a continuous manner.
12.- Packaging assembly as claimed in any one of 25 claims 5 to 8, wherein the nozzle (15) is configured to nebulize the fluid for creating a cloud (18) of nebulized fluid.
13.- Packaging assembly as claimed in claim 12, and comprising a forming device for shaping successive portion of the tube (3) , the forming device having a pair of forming shells (10) arranged at opposite sides of the longitudinal axis (A) , the first arm (14a) carrying one forming shell (10) and the second arm (14b) carrying the other forming shell (10) , so that the forming shells (10) are movable towards and away from one another for repeatedly cooperating in contact with the tube ( 3 ) ; wherein the nozzle (15) is configured to nebulize the fluid so that the cloud (18) surrounds and laps the forming shells (10) .
14.- Packaging assembly as claimed in any one of the foregoing claims, and further comprising a further dispensing device for feeding the cooling and/or lubricant fluid at least towards the countersealing member ( 13 ) ; and wherein the further dispensing device is carried by the first arm (14a) .
15.- Packaging assembly as claimed in any one of the foregoing claims, wherein the dispensing device comprises a nozzle (15) made of metallic material.
PCT/EP2022/085604 2021-12-17 2022-12-13 Packaging assembly for forming and sealing a plurality of packs containing a pourable product WO2023110859A1 (en)

Priority Applications (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CN202280068834.9A CN118119499A (en) 2021-12-17 2022-12-13 Packaging assembly for forming and sealing multiple packages containing pourable products
JP2024533067A JP2024546639A (en) 2021-12-17 2022-12-13 Packaging assembly for forming and sealing multiple packs containing pourable products - Patents.com

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP21215467.8 2021-12-17
EP21215467 2021-12-17

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WO2023110859A1 true WO2023110859A1 (en) 2023-06-22

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JP (1) JP2024546639A (en)
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* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP4527749A1 (en) * 2023-09-20 2025-03-26 Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A. Forming unit for forming a tube from a web of packaging material, an apparatus for producing a sealed tube provided with said forming unit, a packaging machine with said apparatus and a method to operate said apparatus

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3045405A (en) * 1959-12-14 1962-07-24 Swan F Anderson Wrapping machine
US4129976A (en) * 1976-09-30 1978-12-19 Sig Schweizerische Industrie-Gesellschaft Apparatus for forming, filling and closing bags
US4750313A (en) * 1985-12-20 1988-06-14 Rovema Verpackungsmaschinen Gmbh Packaging machine for the manufacture, filling and closing of bags and a method for operating such a machine
WO2007114752A1 (en) 2006-03-31 2007-10-11 Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A. Forming device, machine, packaging laminate web, forming method and process in producing packages
WO2017098364A1 (en) * 2015-12-08 2017-06-15 Sabic Global Technologies B.V. Apparatus and methods of use for form, fill and sealing dies and packages formed thereby

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3045405A (en) * 1959-12-14 1962-07-24 Swan F Anderson Wrapping machine
US4129976A (en) * 1976-09-30 1978-12-19 Sig Schweizerische Industrie-Gesellschaft Apparatus for forming, filling and closing bags
US4750313A (en) * 1985-12-20 1988-06-14 Rovema Verpackungsmaschinen Gmbh Packaging machine for the manufacture, filling and closing of bags and a method for operating such a machine
WO2007114752A1 (en) 2006-03-31 2007-10-11 Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A. Forming device, machine, packaging laminate web, forming method and process in producing packages
WO2017098364A1 (en) * 2015-12-08 2017-06-15 Sabic Global Technologies B.V. Apparatus and methods of use for form, fill and sealing dies and packages formed thereby

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CN118119499A (en) 2024-05-31
JP2024546639A (en) 2024-12-26

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